ACCRINGTON's WAR MEMORIAL - Page 2

anonymouse · 20-03-2017, 18:24

I'm glad I found this post because I need to say something.

Me and my friends broke some of those stone things with all the names on, back around that time (2009 - 2011).
At the time we broke them and ran away, and I am sure this caused great offence to a lot of people.
However I need to say that it was not vandalism, we did not do it on purpose.

We used to meet there and lean on them sometimes, we were teenagers and maybe should have been a bit more respectful and not leaned on them but they were heavy stone and in our opinion unmovable - there was never an intention to cause damage.
We were leaning on them one afternoon and 2 or maybe 3 of them just fell away from the wall like dominoes. If I remember correctly at least one of them cracked right in half.

We knew right away we would never be believed if we said they just fell (we were a bunch of young troublemakers) so we ran off and left them lying there.

I know it was years ago now but it always stuck in my mind that people would have seen that and thought somebody purposefully broke them and most likely been seriously offended, when in fact it seems to have been poor maintenance.

I don't really know what else to say. I just hope if anybody was offended by it all those years ago that it puts something right to know that there was never any intention to disrespect the dead soldiers.

Rowlf · 20-03-2017, 19:33

Well done Anonymouse for owning up to what you and your pals did. I hope now you are older and wiser and have the respect for what that memorial stands and the lads whos names it bears.

cashman · 20-03-2017, 20:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

'Pulled off by vandals', Cllr. Britcliffe suggested

Right again P.B. though it did look that way, Its good that yeh brought this to light anonymouse, Though it may have been better if you lads had held yer hands up at the time and offered to pay for the damage, if that had been the case, i doubt if anyone would think yez did it on purpose?

Retlaw · 20-03-2017, 20:44

I through my daughter have been pestering the council for over 3 years to bring that war memorial up to date, the number of excuses are unbelievable, there is special funding available through the War Memorial Trust. Those panels contain several errors due to the lists provided by the Observer, 14 double entries, 19 names wrong or misspelled, 37 names missing, including 9 original Accrington Pals, and one man who did not die. One of the excuses put forward was finding matching stone, I've suggested turning the panels over, polishing them to match the original, then getting a stone mason with a pantograph to engrave the new list in a smaller font so all the names can be fitted on, and not just Smith J. but a man's full name
Smith James.
Smith John.
Smith Joseph.
And if there are two men Smith John, then their service numb could be inserted in a smaller font, I've done it on paper, and printed it out so there really is no excuse. If it ever gets done I would like to be alive to see it. If their not going to do I wish some one would have the guts to say so. ------------- I tried to post this earlier but every thing crashed, just hope its ok now.

Rowlf · 20-03-2017, 21:31

That is disgraceful Retlaw when funding is available. Good on your daughter for pestering the council. Hope she keeps it up. These lads deserve to be remembered properly and with pride not shoved on the back burner. I have two great uncles on the cenataph at Hapton so have known all about the sacrifices all my life but I remember clearly the moment it really hit home to me. I was walking through Slaidburn and stopped in front of the war memorial there. It is one with a soldier figure on top. I forget how many names were on it but it struck me it was a lot for such a small village. Then I thought about them leaving such a lovely place and travelling to France. In those days of the first World War it is likely that most had not even been to Preston never mind any where further and a certainty none had been abroad. It must have been like going to the moon for them. Some would be scared stiff before they even got to France. I have never forgotten that day. Our respect and gratitude should no no bounds for all those who have fought and lost their lives for our freedom.

Retlaw · 21-03-2017, 12:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rowlf

That is disgraceful Retlaw when funding is available. Good on your daughter for pestering the council. Hope she keeps it up. These lads deserve to be remembered properly and with pride not shoved on the back burner. I have two great uncles on the cenataph at Hapton so have known all about the sacrifices all my life but I remember clearly the moment it really hit home to me. I was walking through Slaidburn and stopped in front of the war memorial there. It is one with a soldier figure on top. I forget how many names were on it but it struck me it was a lot for such a small village. Then I thought about them leaving such a lovely place and travelling to France. In those days of the first World War it is likely that most had not even been to Preston never mind any where further and a certainty none had been abroad. It must have been like going to the moon for them. Some would be scared stiff before they even got to France. I have never forgotten that day. Our respect and gratitude should no no bounds for all those who have fought and lost their lives for our freedom.

Rowlf, your spot on with your observations, some of our lads round here had some help, there were a heck of a lot of old soldiers living in Greater Acc, they couldn't wait to put their old uniforms on again and get stuck into who ever challenged England, they became father figures to a lot of the younger ones, even the ones that were under age nobody split on them, those lads only fear was their parents claiming them back, many did suffer that fate, then when the next recruiting drive came, some would travel miles away to enlist, give a false name & address, their real name & age only discovered when they were in hospital wounded, a lot of them not even 17, them lads had guts by the bucketful, (not like today's 17 year olds roaming round in gangs intimidating their elders.)
I think the youngest Accy lad to be killed was 15 years of age. All I can say is Heroes one and all, may their names be revered and live on for ever.